


Easy Does It

by pvshingbvttons



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Belly Kink, Chubby Archie Andrews, Domestic Boyfriends, Fat fetish, Feedee Archie, Feeder Kevin, Feeding, Feeding Kink, Gay Archie Andrews, Lesbian Veronica Lodge, M/M, Minor Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Minor Veronica Lodge/Original Character, Weight Gain, Weight Gain Fetish, Weight Kink, apprehensive feedee archie, apprehensive feeder kevin, as in none of the subsequent stuff happens lmao, basically they both want it but are shy about it, belly play, cUTE IK, follows off s1e01 plot??, have i copped out on the premise for it?, im writing this for myself but you can read, why yes, yes i have
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-03-08 11:49:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18894043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pvshingbvttons/pseuds/pvshingbvttons
Summary: Kevin never knew how exhilarating it'd feel to have the weight of a growing redhead in his lap and Archie's always more than willing to comply.---College AU whereby Archie and Kevin are both freshman and skirting around the official title of boyfriends that eventually turns into something more when they both share a particular kink... The only basis is really the first few episodes of Season One; Archie lets things slip to his small core group of friends and, with their encouragement, goes to Sheriff Keller a lot sooner about the gunshot he heard. Both vehemently closeted gays, Archie and Veronica became each other's beards throughout high school but broke things off for the liberation of college. Is this a cop out to fit things into this feedism fic? Why yes, yes it is.





	1. Prologue

Kevin Keller always made sure to get one thing straight whenever people met him and Archie Andrews; they were  _not_ dating under any circumstances. Did Kevin want to call Archie his and take the prized redhead off the gay market? Of course, but he wouldn't admit it. Not out loud and in earshot of Archie, at the very least. He always had to make the disclosure because they were  _so_ domesticated with each other, so in sync with one another that it seemed only natural to assume a relationship. They weren't always like that, at least not at Riverdale High. The friendship group that had started out as Betty, Veronica and himself manifested into the three of them plus Archie, Cheryl and Toni by senior year. Though he could always hold a conversation with any given person in the group, he found it easy to be closer to some than others and thus the star jock got no more attention from Kevin other than to oogle over his body whenever he saw it. In reality, the group was much more adequately split between Archie, Veronica, Betty and Jughead making up a four whilst he, Cheryl and Toni made up a trio. They all intermingled - Betty refusing to let go of her gay best friend - but that was the division that was subtly there. Subsequently, Kevin was none the wiser of the beard situation between Archie and Veronica. Had he have known sooner, he would've ate into all that drama and encourage the two to go into acting since his gaydar never went off. 

College had changed the friendship dynamic, turning it on it's head. Sure they were all still close to one another but the pairings changed. With the coming out of Veronica, she and Choni had become a trio, always giggling about 'just gay girly things.' That'd piqued Kevin's interest once, but one mention of clipped nails and he decided he was good. Betty and Jughead were ever still much a duo, fiercely together, which left Kevin and Archie. The two had gone to the same college by chance; Kevin for fashion and Archie on some football scholarship (Kevin had been too busy checking out how great Archie looked in those skinny jeans when he was being told what course the redhead was doing and promptly forgot everything). With the both of them being familiar faces for the other, the pair just got closer until they couldn't remember a time that they  _weren't_ the bestest of buds. Though he might've fooled himself and said he'd be surprised it could happen, a similar thing happened between him and Betty so he couldn't really say he was. Kevin found himself enjoying the friendship; Archie was a breath of fresh air, having a nativity about him that lent the jock to be the brunt of gullible jokes.

Speaking of, Kevin was happy to see college hadn't changed Archie too much. Of course, he knew in the grand scheme of things he had no say whatsoever but it was nice to have the familiarity around him. Both had taken the plunge to move a considerable distance away from Riverdale to a warmer climate with a beach; Archie for the opportunity to try out his watersports (to which Kevin had to force down a chuckle) and Kevin to gape at all the men that frequented the area. If anything, for the both of them, college allowed them to settle in their skin, to develop an unshakeable air of confidence. In that sense, both were rather similar, emphasised further with their near nightly trips to the various college-ran gay bars littered around the city. It'd been all down to chance that they were roommates but they used that to their advantage - if you walked into their room, you'd be right in thinking you were back in Riverdale, it was  _that_ decorated with their home. What  _did_ differ between them, however, were what they became confident and comfortable with. For Archie, as Kevin guessed as soon as he found out he was going to college, he became a lot more comfortable in his sexuality. Many a time did Kevin wake up to find some random guy in their room watching morning television. Kevin tried to be mad but part of him couldn't; Archie was a baby gay who was flourishing and, in that sense, Kevin felt like a proud mother. An established gay, Kevin's comfortableness came in the form of a kink. He knew it was obscure, that had been made clear when he tried to bring it up to Moose once and it was shot down quickly, but that didn't stop him. You see, Kevin had a thing for big guys. He didn't mean tall - he had learnt the disappointing way that the myth about tall guys wasn't always true - but rather mass. Muscular or fat, Kevin liked a big guy. He didn't want a twig ("what if I break him Betty? Then what!" He had ranted to his poor best friend once) but rather someone who had something he could hold onto; something he could fuss over.

In truth, it was fat that intrigued Kevin.

He'd have a thing for fatter guys since forever and nobody, sans Betty, really knew about it. In the twenty-first century where everyone got hard on's over the latest juice cleanse and photoshoppers worked overtime to destroy the already fragile confidence and body image of teens everywhere, Kevin knew that a thing for the type of people that everyone was told not to be would be frowned upon. It was a secret fetish, one that never materialised beyond spending hours on Grommr with a box of tissues beside him. The freedom of college allowed Kevin to actually  _act_ upon it. He didn't do much - for all the bravado he had as a 'fully fledged gay' he was still very much nervous when it came to this - but even just meeting with an older guy to rub the gargantuan middle the man had boasted confirmed to Kevin Keller that, yes, he was a chubby chaser. 

The best thing about it? Archie Andrews seemed to be steamrolling his way towards the freshman fifteen and Kevin couldn't get more flustered thinking about it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's just a small prologue to set up the scene!! The fun will happen soon! :)
> 
> I thought this was going to be a one shot but, as it turns out, chapter-ing it makes it ten times more detailed! Who would've thought?
> 
> Of course my first fic on here would have to be a gaining fic - and my first one of that too, so apologies for any //unnatural// type scenes. Will be getting the hang of things.
> 
> Also apologies on the cop-out on the basis! I literally only remember the first two eps of Season One (I'm rewatching them now) and I was just itching to make this fic so... here we are!
> 
> Always feel free to leave comments and the like!! :D


	2. Dancing Around The Perimeter

Archie liked college. A lot. 

There was a level of freedom that Archie hadn't ever experienced before, even with having a Dad who let him have more freedom than other kids. He had always felt  _trapped_ at Riverdale High. Trapped with being a model son for his Dad, trapped by Miss Grundy as guilt ate away at him and, though he put himself there, trapped in a heterosexual lie with Veronica. At college, all those restraints disappeared and, in their place, was an Archie Andrews who was ready to experience all the world had to offer to him, a baby gay. Being with and getting closer to Kevin had been a godsend, if you asked Archie. Kevin was experienced in all things homo and a good laugh; a slice of home who'd also help Archie if he had any questions about being, well, gay (a favourite question of Kevin's that Archie was embarrassed over was the whole matter of douching). Everything and everyone just seemed more natural, organic at college. Nobody was being fake to fit in with a popular crowd, people couldn't give enough of a crap on what you were wearing and, best of all, there was nobody breathing down your neck on whatever you did. For his self-esteem and sense of character, the liberation did wonders to bring centre all the small things about Archie to create a fully realised person. For his appetite?  _That_ was another issue in itself.

Now, Archie didn't have the biggest of appetites - in fact he could get full quite easily. It'd always been that way so he was used to eating very little. What college  _did_ allow him to indulge in, however, was his penchant for unhealthy foods. You name it, Archie couldn't help but love it. Fast food, chips, candy, chocolate, fatty meats - the lot. He blamed himself for his unshakeable love for it; during high school he had spent so long limiting what he could eat so he could surprise everyone with his body change (which he came to find out from Kevin worked a treat) but also to upkeep said body and stay on the football team. Subsequently, anything unhealthy became a treat, a guilty pleasure. Don't get him wrong, he allowed himself the foods and milkshakes from Pops' but would always workout with more vigour the next day to burn off the extra calories. At college? He didn't have that guilt nipping at his neck. In fact, unlike his coaches and teammates in the past, Archie was told to bulk up a little bit. That had been the first thing he had realised on his first day at college and going to the various tryouts; every guy there seemed to be ten times beefier than he was. Usually that wouldn't have bothered him but being told to not be such a 'frail looking gingerbread guy' had made Archie reconsider his comfortableness in his body.

Being told to beef up elicited an even deeper response in Archie, even deeper than exploring and cementing his sexuality or realising nobody could say anything about the foods he ate at college (well, Kevin could but he seemed to be particularly quiet and focused whenever Archie ate anything remotely fattening). Though unbeknown to both Archie and Kevin, they both shared the similar hobby of trolling the Grommr site and relative tumblr tags looking at the more plump spectrum of men. Though Kevin's interest in bigger men had been deep rooted within him, Archie was fairly new to the kink (could he even call it that? He'd ask Kevin if it wasn't such an  _odd_ thing) and was still dipping his toes into it. Whilst he knew many could pinpoint the interest in bigger men to a specific cartoon episode or experience, Archie's origins laid largely ambiguous. It wasn't so much a scenario where he woke up one day and decided 'fuck yeah, big dudes!' but rather a slow burning interest that only sought to grow bigger. Though, thanks to many on the website asking him about his early interests, Archie could at least pin down a few experiences that created the small spark within him.

The first proper 'incident' so to speak that caused some interest on Archie's half happened when he was only young, perhaps five or six - young enough to remember but not old enough to understand. Although most of the memory was blurry and served little purpose other than to give the redhead a headache as he tried to remember, the main focal point was young Archie seeing a bigger man, roughly 250 pounds if Archie had to guess now in retrospect, wearing a shirt that exposed his soft underbelly. Having never seen anything like that before at that point, the young Archie naively asked his Dad about it, only to find out that the man just didn't wear clothes that fit him. The answer satisfied him then, but definitely left an impressionable mark on the youngster. An interest in the bigger man was present and was forever attached to the memory, but it was the desire to be too big for clothes - whether that be muscle or fat - that really stuck with Archie, the desire to be  _big_ having been ingrained within him ever since. That had led to many not so embarrassing moments for Archie whereby he squeezed himself into tight shirts and jeans that'd rip and pop buttons due to his muscled mass. Whilst not the first  _fat_ related experience, Archie definitely viewed it as a catalyst. 

The second - and what Archie would consider the  _true_ \- incident came when Archie was a freshman at high school. Around this time he was confused, anyone could see that. Hearing a gunshot at the lake and then finding out that Jason Blossom had died had caused Archie to panic, desperate to tell someone. Of course, Miss Grundy had forbade it in a bid to save her job and it wasn't until Betty, Veronica and Jughead practically  _begged_ him to go to Sheriff Keller did Archie do so. He felt bad knowing Miss Grundy lost her job because of him but the guilt was eating him alive. So yeah, Archie was in a rough patch then. Maybe that was why the experience with Mr Richards, an older guy who looked like full DILF material only worsened Archie's state of mind. Mr Richards, known for being one of the kinder teachers at Riverdale High - and one of the hottest - had a feature that divided (but also united, it seemed) the students of the school on if it accentuated his DILFiness or dampened it. His  _belly_. At this point in his life, Archie was used to seeing the softer, flabbier bellies - the ones used to deter kids and adults alike from getting fat. All the bigger kids in his grade were soft and nearly all overweight or obese adults Archie knew of were the same. Mr Richards, on the other hand, possessed a firm, round ball gut. It protruded in such a way that added extra inches to his side profile that wouldn't be there if his belly had been soft. He was by no means the biggest man anyone had ever seen, but it definitely gave him an aura that, if you asked Archie, definitely added to the DILF look the man was rocking. Most students agreed the belly gave the teacher an air of age and wisdom, as if he were that uncle or Dad who had let himself go over the years but had a lot of knowledge stored away, largely alcohol related. That had been the first time Archie was transfixed by someone's belly. Still in his questioning phase then, Archie couldn't get the image of the straining buttons of Mr Richards' shirt out of his mind, nor could he erase the small mental clip of the older man eating. That was the true incident that ignited the spark that was Archie's love for big guys and, in all honesty, it scared him. Thus, he locked it away very neatly in the depths of his mind and, until the summer before college, he had happily forgotten about it.

What drove Archie to creating a Grommr account and embracing his love for bigger men as much as he could whilst still being inexperienced was a chance hookup with a chubby guy. One of the first things Archie had done when he got to college was download Grindr for the ease of quick hookups. Kevin had ridiculed him for doing such, announcing that he'd call Archie a trashy, basic gay but Archie paid little mind to it - not everyone could go down to Fox Forest and peruse for lovers. Just the mention of that had shut Kevin up. Downloading Grindr, however, led Archie to a chubby torso of a user very eloquently named 'Fat Btm 4 Fuck Now' - and people said romance was dead. Impulsively, Archie had contacted said guy and when the night was done, Archie had watched the soft middle of the guy jiggle and move with each thrust. Multiple times had Archie gotten distracted by it and, through encouragement from the guy - who's name later turned out to be Collin - Archie  _played_ with a belly for the first time. Completely enthralled, Archie left the guy's room that night knowing fat guys were a definite passion of his. Though shy and nervous about it still, he promptly made a Grommr account - faceless, of course.

Needless to say,  _that_ paired with being told to beef up left Archie in a very weird head space. He knew what beefing up meant but his mind, without fail, always went to the  _softer_ side of things, the side of things that he knew that didn't encompass beefing up. Then again, most on his new team had pudgy middles and the beginnings of what could only be great bellies so did he have a lot to lose? He wasn't sure.

* * *

Kevin was another distraction for Archie. Never before had they skirted around the title of boyfriends, something they pretty much were in everything but name. Sure they hadn't  _kissed_ or anything, but Archie never failed to notice the fleeting touches and lingering glances on both of their parts. He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but Archie Andrews wasn't completely stupid. They danced around it so much so that he was sure all they needed to be was drunk and all rules would be out of the window and they'd have slept with each other by the end of the night. Did he want that? Archie wasn't sure but he knew he wouldn't  _dislike_ it. Archie didn't know if the sudden bout of chemistry the two shared was the result of his somewhat recent coming out or the internal realisation that it was chemistry but, either way, it was undeniable that the two of them suited each other. They suited each other so much so that Kevin seemed to be in a state of constant exclamation that they were just friends. That upset Archie a little bit, maybe because secretly he wanted them to be something more than buds and Kevin vehemently denying it to everyone they met made the jock feel like the fashion student didn't reciprocate the feelings. 

The thought plagued Archie a lot, especially on his walk from the classroom back to his and Kevin's dorm. He was still thankful that the two roomed together; it was nice to reminisce without someone asking about little details that you never really thought about when telling a story. Often on his walks, much like today's walk, Archie thought of nothing but him and Kevin. He thought about their shift in dynamic and how quickly they had gone from just being 'friends' to  _best_ friends. Archie was glad to have Kevin on his side; he saw how ruthless the brunette could be if riled up and having him in his corner served as a coping mechanism for Archie,  _especially_ when they went to the rowdy clubs. One thing known about Archie Andrews was, once he got a thought in his head, it was hard for him to shake it and thus his mental confusion continued to pester him as he got back to his and Kevin's shared room.

"Yo, Archiekins," Kevin said, swivelling in his chair and flashing a smile at Archie as he used the nickname he had graciously stolen from Veronica during their beard period, "How was class?"

"Boring, as usual," Archie grunted out a response, throwing his backpack down and flopping onto the bed. He stared at the ceiling, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to dissipate the questioning mood he was in. For however much Kevin perplexed him, Archie remained seldom in confront any questions he had.

Always picking up on the smallest changes of auras, however, Kevin flashed Archie a quizzical look, head tilted slightly, "And who's twisted your nips then?"

There was a teasing tone to Kevin's words, one that let Archie knew that the brunette was just looking out for his well being. Archie appreciated that; not many could boast a friend like that it seemed. 

"I'm confused, 's all."

Archie hadn't expected Kevin to relent, fully expecting the other to carry on.

"About what?" Kevin's tone altered slightly, one to concern. Kevin was known for being highly empathetic so Archie expected no less, "What's up?"

Archie heard some shuffling until the telltale signs of Kevin sitting on his bed that was parallel to Archie's became apparent. Sitting up, Archie ran a hand through his hair, gaze adverting away from Kevin until he eventually let their eyes make contact with each other. Even now, confusion clouding his mind, Archie couldn't help but notice how visually appealing Kevin was. Though he looked better without the pained, concerned look on his face - in Archie's humble opinion - the redhead couldn't deny that Kevin was just inherently attractive. Needless to say, that didn't help the situation for Archie.

"What are we?" Archie said after a long silence, their eye contact unwavering. It was as if the tension between them knew how fine the line was that they danced around. Friends,  _boy_ friends, friends with benefits - it was a line that the two seemed to be addicted to.

Kevin opened his mouth to answer, in before Archie's stomach gurgled, yearning for food. Both of them looked down at the redhead's midsection. Though his shirts hid it well, Archie's famous abs were slowly disappearing. If one was to touch his abdomen then they would still feel the distinct washboard, trademark muscles of Archie Andrews but, visually, a layer of soft flesh blurred the definition. Both Archie and Kevin found it captivating, both guilty of staring at it a little longer than they should - long enough to go beyond the cheeky friend glance. Perhaps that's what confused Archie the most; why was Kevin looking at his budding fat like that? Did  _he_ share the same kink as Archie? Who knew? Archie didn't. All the redhead knew was that the freshman fifteen was hitting him like a ton of bricks and he was grateful that his high levels of activeness stopped any  _real_ damage from happening. Not that he'd mind but he had decided ever since he first discovered the feedism scene that he'd only do anything if he had a loyal partner at his side.

Clearly looking for any excuse to skirt around the question, Kevin let out a hefty laugh as he lent over and poked the softening midsection of Archie, "Sounds like someone's hungry, yeah?"

Archie's cheeks tinged a pale red colour as he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. Maybe the intrusive question could wait; knowing his luck, he was making it all up in his head anyways. "Maybe just a little."

"I was thinking about getting some late lunch," Kevin said, stretching his arms, "Heard the milkshake place on campus is doing a reduced price scheme; four shakes for the price of two. You in?"

Though it was no Pops', Archie had grown to love the milkshake place. Flashing a grin as he let the troubles that plagued him earlier leave, "Sure."

For the entirety of the walk there, the meal and the walk back, neither Archie nor Kevin talked about what had bothered Archie when he came back from class. Instead, they bantered over old times and enjoyed the milkshakes and food they had gotten. Though both of them were oblivious to the other's fixation, Archie and Kevin had their interest piqued by Archie ordering more food than he usually would  _and_ having one of Kevin's milkshakes, totalling in three for him and only one for Kevin. Neither knew how to deal with the burning sensation they felt as Archie ate and gorged on the food and Kevin watched, completely enthralled. 

Let's just say both chose a certain outlet that was traditionally, and in this case  _definitely_ , paired with some tissues and tactful timing in the shared bathroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this'll be written with each chapter focusing on either of the boys; this chapter was clearly Archie so next will be Kevin.
> 
> Writing this almost made me forget about the whole gainer aspect of this fic!! I had to add it in subtly and I hope it worked! :)
> 
> Looks like both of them are getting a little sloppy with their interest for growing guys //and// their interest in one another ;)
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!!


	3. Of All The Developments

Kevin felt weird. Really weird. So weird that, if he had displayed so much as an ounce of said weirdness outwardly, he'd be sure to be shunned for being weird.  _Weird_.

He was no stranger to relieving himself in the presence of hot guys and Archie very much was an Adonis among men if you asked Kevin on the right day but Kevin wasn't getting riled up over that for once. No, instead, Kevin found himself pent up over how much Archie ate, the way he seemed to eat more than the both of them combined ever thought he could eat. It was a weird feeling.  _Perhaps it's the feeder in you jumping out_ , Kevin had thought to himself to try and quell his overworking brain that tried desperately to make sense of the situation, though that made things worse as the realisation of being a feeder made him feel even weirder because it was all so new. Especially when, prior to that night, the only experience Kevin had in that whole community was stalking the various profiles on Grommr.

It was an exciting type of weird though, one that gave him small surges of adrenaline. The way Archie ate so much threw Kevin's brain out of the box, leading the brunette to wonder if the faceless profile of someone who seemed to live among the dormitories could be Archie.  _That_ had excited Kevin the most but the weirdness factor would always come back. Thus, both he and Archie compartmentalised the meal in the part of their brains neatly labelled ' _DO NOT REMEMBER UNLESS WANK BANK_ ' or something just as eloquent.

Kevin dipped into that box quite regularly. 

* * *

Nowadays, Kevin rarely got hung up over small things. He had long since learnt that staying pent up over things was unhealthy for the mental state of a person - big thanks to Moose for teaching him  _that_ lesson - and, most of the time, Kevin was someone who liked to forgive and forget. Emphasis on the forget. If the function of remembering a social interaction served only to cause him distress, Kevin had become a master at forgetting things. Did he like deeming things unnecessary when the other people involved may view it otherwise? Not particularly but it was his mental well being a state, dammit, and he was going to do what was in the best interest of that.

That was why it was so abnormal for Kevin to be contemplating what Archie had asked.

_What are we?_

The question haunted Kevin, not to be dramatic or anything. It'd been a few days since the meal, precisely three days, five hours and ten minutes - not that Kevin was counting - yet the brunette was still worrying over it. What answer could he give? He'd spent every opportunity given telling those around him that they weren't dating. In retrospect Kevin could say it was down to him wanting Archie to find his first boyfriend or something of the sort but he was sure that even Archie would clue onto the fact that it was a recent explanation for what had been a problem festering for months. It was the slightly saddened look that Archie had worn as he asked, the way his tone hinted that it had plagued the redhead for months that made Kevin feel guilty. That was a strong word for something so  _small_ in the grand scheme of things but that was the price one paid for being inherently empathetic and loyal to those close to him. 

He didn't want Archie to think that he didn't want to be  _officially_ with him; after all, they were domestic as two people could be without being official. Was that the problem? Was Archie beginning to tire of the thrill of the gay nightlife and wanted to settle down? As hot as he found Archie and as easily as he got on with the redhead, Kevin refused to be some stepping stone. The preservation of his emotions, especially after Moose, was the most selfish thing about Kevin. Then again, Archie had never struck Kevin as being that sort of guy; even when the jock had a fake relationship with Veronica, he treated her so well that he was legitimate '#goals' for the girls in their grade. No, Kevin knew that if they were together that Archie would treat him right.

So what  _was_ the problem? If it wasn't Kevin's defence of his emotions or even the small crush he'd harboured on Archie since he magically appeared buff, then what was stopping him?

Kevin didn't think he could answer that question, especially not now with the thought in his head that Archie was also venturing in the 'big kink' as Kevin referred to it in his head. That in itself had been a roadblock in the whole process of thinking about what Archie had said; Kevin didn't  _want_ to associate Archie with that side of him without knowing if the redhead had any legitimate interest in it. Besides, he had known from dating Moose that football players were asked all the time to bulk up and Archie was probably just doing that. Still, that didn't excuse the light red tinge that appeared across Archie's cheeks as he had come to the realisation of just how much he had eaten.

No, he couldn't the question, therefore, Kevin had to do some experimenting to come to a well-rounded conclusion.

* * *

The way in which Kevin had pondered on  _how_ he wanted to test how far his infatuation with Archie went for a few days, the meal going further and further into the past yet ever present - nightly for the both of them - as a memory. The most obvious way to do so was just to ask Archie about it and sit down and have a conversation with him but Kevin found himself unable to do that. He placed it down to not wanting to force Archie to go through the same emotions he must've been going through as he asked the original time; since the meal, Archie hadn't brought up the question again and the last thing Kevin wanted to do was to throw his friend back into that place and see that kicked puppy expression Archie wore well enough.

The next way, very teen drama television, was to just go up and kiss Archie the next time they were alone in their room together. Though a closeted lover of such shows, Kevin knew you were meant to feel  _something_ when you kissed with your 'true love' or whatever and what better way than to test that theory than to lock lips with Archie? That'd been the way he was going to do it until a phone call to Betty had stopped that - the blonde telling him to not cross into that 'blurry line of sexual assault.' Right, next idea then.

Kevin had then been banking on Archie wanting to go out drinking one night at a party or go to one of the clubs on campus and see how things would go from there but, both times it was suggested to him, Archie had declined on the account of being too swamped by assignments or being too tired after football practice. Not that he had been looking, but Kevin had guessed the latter had become one of Archie's full proof excuses; no way would someone who had training most nights a week would be  _continually_ getting softer. Kevin had damn near lost his mind when Archie had gotten changed one night and saw that nearly all traces of those chiselled abs had gone, even more so than before.  _That_ had also joined the same box in his mind that the meal resided in very quickly. 

By the time he had exhausted all other attempts of answering the question, it had been exactly a week since Archie had asked him. Kevin knew that because Archie had entered the exact same time as he had done before the meal -  _not_ that Kevin was counting  _still_. 

"Hey, can I ask you something Arch?" Kevin asked, mouth moving before his mind even had a chance to process what he was saying. He was sure impulse had an astronomically large part in all of this.

"Yeah, sure, what's up?" The reply came, cheerful and oblivious as ever as Archie set his bag down by his bed before flopping onto it, head lifting up and looking at Kevin.

It took all the will in the world to look at Archie's face and not at the way his tee rode up, exposing the slight bit of the redhead's softening stomach or the way Archie's stomach was begging to take form of a very small mound, but Kevin managed.

"Have you got any plans tonight?" Kevin's words continued to work on an automated line from somewhere in his brain to his mouth, not that the brunette was complaining because it seemed to be a lot less awkward than he had ever managed.

"Not really - got some homework but there's a bunch of other things I'd rather do instead. How come?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner?"

"Like last week?" Archie asked, a bemused smile on his face, "An eat your feelings after a tough day of school meal?"

"No," Kevin replied, inhaling deeply before giving Archie some unrelenting eye contact, "Like a  _date_ dinner."

" _Oh_."

Kevin didn't particularly like Archie's response, nor did he like the silence that lingered afterwards as the jock formulated a response in his head. Even though Archie looked away momentarily, Kevin could see the cogs turning behind his eyes, probably debating on whether or not he should do it. 

"What made you decide to ask me out on a date, huh?" Came the response after what felt like an  _hour_ of waiting.

Having looked away as to not add any pressure onto Archie, Kevin was expecting some stern look on Archie's face or, worse, the pained look he had worn when he asked what they were. Instead, there was a small, cheeky smile - one that was amused and giddy at the prospect.

"I thought about what you said and, well, I want to find out what we are and a date's the best way, right?"

The smile on Archie's face grew and Kevin was now sure that it was something Archie had been wanting in some degree for some time now. Feeling a sensation in the pit of his stomach, something bubbly and effervescent, he matched the smile .

"Sure, why not then?"

* * *

Though he was the one who had asked Archie on a date, Kevin didn't know what he planned to  _actually_ do. Until approximately twelve hours ago, he hadn't seriously considered dating Archie Andrews and now he found himself in a position where he very much could in the near future. He wasn't complaining by any means, he was just shocked that Archie had taken him up on the offer. Although Archie was also somewhat of a forgive-and-forget kind of guy, Kevin could tell that just asking the question had meant it had been bothering him for some time and, thus, Kevin had fully expected Archie to decline but some hour later they were at a fancier restaurant than what they were used to, Kevin dressed in a smart dress shirt and black skinnies and Archie in his trademark plaid red shirt, blue tee and some blue skinnies. Definitely out of place in some regards but neither cared; they had been eyeing up this restaurant since they had got to college.

Seated in a booth in the very corner of the restaurant, Kevin and Archie spent a good few minutes gawking at the interior. Staunchly used to diners and Olive Garden-level fanciness restaurants, the two felt a little out of place.

"You know it's fancy when all the food has a French translation," Archie commented as he scanned the menu, lips pursed as he tried to decipher what some of the elaborate descriptions meant. 

Though there were some recognisable foods, a lasagne was the first thing Kevin could recognise, everything had an over the top way of describing it. French fries had become julienne potatoes, sausages had become oak wood fired pork and, most amusing to Kevin, salad had become 'a delightful garden of palatable crunches of greens and purples.' He had tried to explain it to Archie when the redhead didn't understand and, needless to say, the humour was a little lost in translation.

It took them quite a while to order their food - twice they had to tell the waitress that they weren't ready to order because, quite frankly, neither knew  _what_ they wanted. Kevin had banked on it being as simple as going into the diner and just ordering some comfort food but, no, he felt an odd pressure to contemplate his choices severely. As it turned out, Archie was a little more gun-ho with his order when it finally came time to do so. Their orders were as follows. Kevin simply ordered a filet of chicken breast coated in non-gluten bread crumbs that was to swim in a red onion heavy barbecue sauce, one of the garden of 'palatable crunches,' garlic infused and topped rye bread (garlic bread would've saved ink, Kevin had thought to himself), half a portion of julienne red potatoes and, to wash it down, some  _aqua_. Archie, on the other hand, ordered the same chicken filet times two, a burger that had been described as a disc of beef encased in two buns that were lightly dusted with flour, three portions of julienne potatoes, some rye garlic bread, some Italian cheese melts (mozzarella melts, he had explained knowingly to Kevin as if the latter didn't know otherwise) and, very healthily, a good old glass of Coke. Whilst Kevin had felt a bit embarrassed ordering largely from the kid's menu and asking it to be sized up, Archie had no problems with doing so - even ordering more than made even the waitress raise an eyebrow.

"That's a lot of food," Kevin had commented after the waitress had walked away, glancing back at Archie and raising an eyebrow, "Coach down your neck about being skin and bones?"

Though Kevin had expected Archie's face to redden, no such thing occurred and the other simply laughed, "Yeah, something like that. 'M starving, haven't eaten all day."

"Well, let's hope you can eat it all." Kevin tried desperately to keep his thoughts PG and civilian. "You know, so you don't waste money."

"That's true," Archie commented as he lent back in his chair, looking around before grinning at Kevin, "Think they have a dessert menu?"

Kevin simply shrugged before he had to go to the bathroom to drench his face in cold water to relieve himself.

~

The meal itself was really nice, Kevin thought. Since the two of them knew each other for a long enough time, were in the same friendship group for the past four years  _and_ shared a dorm together, there wasn't much to learn about one another and, instead, they were able to spend the time having comfortable conversations and cheeky flirting. Kevin hadn't expected Archie to be a good flirter - he had told Betty that it was Veronica who told him his pickup lines and that Archie simply repeated them - but apparently all that music writing had paid off. It was nice; Kevin was able to see Archie in a new light and found himself falling deeper and deeper into the idea of taking the jock (could Archie be called that with his softening stomach? Kevin didn't know) as his boyfriend. He could tell by the way Archie listened intently, asked purposeful questions and tailored otherwise generic pickup lines just to suit him that the feeling was mutual and you know what? Kevin liked that.

Both the boys had a different reaction to when the food arrived. Whilst Kevin's was able to be delivered in one trip on one tray, the waitress had to make two trips to put every single plate of Archie's food in front of him, all eight of them. Kevin had felt his cheeks heat up as his mind wandered dangerously back into the territory of feederism whilst Archie simply laughed it off. The redhead kept up his story of feeling empty, even going as far as patting his stomach as if to emphasise it, completely oblivious as to the torture it brought upon Kevin. Yet Kevin was observant; he noticed the way that Archie's eyes had widened a little as he saw just how much food he ordered, the way his face darkened just enough to be noticeable and how he squirmed in his seat. He didn't  _want_ to make any bold connections between Archie and bloating (stuffing? Kevin still needed to work on how to use the terms) but why else would there be blushing?

The meal itself was pleasant enough. The two continued to talk on about the random things that had happened in the week to them; lamenting about professors, stressing over assignments and wondering if they should plan a trip back home to Riverdale together to save on gas. Whilst Kevin had talked about recent controversial eliminations in Drag Race, Archie talked about how hard he got knocked over in training. All was going well until Archie began to test himself with his food, having eaten all his stomach could hold and then eating past that limit and stuffing himself. Kevin hadn't noticed it at first but, when he did, it was all he could think about. The pace of which he himself ate his food had slowed down and his imagination moved to him sitting beside Archie, rubbing the taut stomach to encourage Archie to eat more food - maybe even going as far as to feed him. And then -

"Kevin? Anyone home?" Archie's voice had brought him right back out of his daydream and Kevin had become aware that he was staring at Archie's chest.

"There's not a lot to look at there, my tits haven't been as perky since we left Riverdale," Archie joked a hand moving to smack his pecs jokingly.

Kevin felt his cheeks heat up incredibly and his jeans get even tighter around a certain area.

"You wish Andrews," He tried to retort, though the way his voice was a little off kilter exposed how out of it he was, "I was just seeing if there was a stain on your shirt."

"As if I haven't heard that one before," Archie winked back, going back to eating before leaning back and patting his stomach lightly, "Can we take dessert to go? Don't think I could eat it in here."

All Kevin could do was nod, completely at the mercy of the way Archie was eating his food.

The rest of the meal was largely spent in silence, the odd conversation there but with Archie mainly focusing on eating his food and Kevin trying not to slip back into his fantasy, there was little room for talking. Eventually Archie had finished everything - to which they both expressed a shock - and promptly ordered two slices of the rich and decadent chocolate cake that had been advertised squarely on the dessert menu. He had promptly made Kevin promise they'd swing round a Walmart and get some ice cream to go with it, which Kevin was more than happy to oblige to.

Both were glad to see that the meal hadn't broken the bank as much as they had thought and they paid with what loose cash they had in their wallets before Archie excused himself to the bathroom on the account of needing to cool down after getting the 'meat sweats.' 

* * *

As Archie had gone to the bathroom to relieve himself before the two left back for their room, Kevin lent back in his chair and reflected on the date. It had been nice, good, and he had definitely become more open to the possibility of going steady with Archie. Though he had known before, the redhead had proven himself to be nothing short of a perfect boyfriend. Kevin almost found it hard to believe that he had forcibly pushed out the idea of dating Archie, warming up to the idea near instantly. All was right until, yet again, Kevin came to the realisation that he hadn’t missed the way Archie had overeaten. Again.

Being in the booth in the corner with privacy, Kevin’s mind was pushed in the direction to get his mind off of Archie eating a lot and instead look at some bellies he had been following on Grommr for some time now. Looking around quite a few times before picking up his phone, Kevin went through the steps to get to the app very carefully, inhaling sharply as he updated his location to see all the closest big guys.

His heart skipped a beat.

The faceless profile that had been named ‘curious’ that was always around Kevin in his room had turned up to be close again. Kevin nearly dropped his phone as his mind dared to connect the dots; he and Archie were a decent distance from their room and unless someone in their dorms had followed them… _No_. Kevin wouldn’t do that, not to Archie who he had no proof on if he share the same kink as him.

Then he saw it.

The little indication on the ‘curious’ profile that let Kevin know the user had uploaded a photo; a 1 next to the PHOTOS tab where there had previously been a neat 0. Though he didn’t know why he was hesitating so much, it took Kevin a lot to press on it and then to tap again on the small preview to see the full picture.

Kevin had spent enough time in the community by now to know that this was a beginner belly, started by someone who actually had a claim to the title of ‘ex-jock’ if they were to gain seriously. The caption was simple: ‘think i over did it this time.’ The belly was tight and obviously bloated from being stuffed with an excess of food; the user’s hand on the middle of it as if to soothe what would no doubt be angry skin under touch. Despite this, there was a definite softness to it, one that suggested the person wasn’t just bloating up their abs for the first time in a while but rather had some existing fat there before. It looked oddly familiar, Kevin had thought absentmindedly until he took a better look.

Then he saw it - _again_.

Rolled up just above the beginning of the curve of the belly, in between the man’s chest and midsection was a light blue tee and, from the sides, draped the same red plaid shirt Archie had been wearing. Kevin was willing to put it as a coincidence until he saw the belt that was so distinctively Archie’s that it was undeniable at this point.

He was glad that he was facing the bathroom, that way nobody could see what he was looking at, no less Archie as the redhead came back into view and flashed Kevin a smile, “Hey, ready to go?”

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Kevin replied. Whilst Archie had been as cheerful as ever, content almost, Kevin’s reply was absent, devoid of all emotions as his mind was utterly distracted. He was too busy looking at the red plaid shirt Archie wore; the blue tee that stretched a little against the stomach that was just a little _t_ _oo_  big to be contained within it and, of course, that belt that Kevin had seen so many times before that matched the one in the photo.

It had hit him.  _Hard_. 

Not only was Archie Andrews ‘curious’ on Grommr, but that also meant that the two shared a little more in common than they had both thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to come back to this halfway through as I had exams (explains the delay in posting!) so I hope it's not too obvious of a disconnect between the paragraphs. I think the exact spot is halfway through the restaurant scene.
> 
> We're closing in on the feederism stuff! Whilst the next chapter is perfectly set up for some feeder/feedee action, I think we might just have to get them to be boyfriends first, whaddya think?
> 
> As a side note, I like to think the elimination Kevin was complaining about was Scarlet Envy's or Nina West's. He'd be into that.
> 
> As always, comments and subscriptions, bookmarks and kudos are all appreciated! I hope you enjoy!!


	4. A Curious Helping Hand

At first, Archie had been worried. He didn't know what had caused the mood shift in Kevin and he feared for the worst, automatically assuming that it was something  _he_ had done. Kevin had been silent from the restaurant to the car and, for the drive back to their room, didn't talk as much. Archie had tried really hard on the date; he had felt immensely giddy when Kevin asked him on it and he did his best to put himself in good standing to become Kevin's boyfriend. For him, the decision to strive for that title was a quick and easy one. From the way Kevin was acting, he was near certain that Kevin regretted asking him on one and thus his mood was irrevocably dampened for the remainder of the night. Of course, Kevin didn't  _say_ it was down to him but he didn't deny it either, leaving Archie in a weird headspace where he was convincing himself he was the cause but, simultaneously, doing the opposite too. Archie had forgot how much easier Veronica had been; they didn't have all this because their relationship was for convenience rather than a genuine attraction to one another. In the end, as they got back to their dorms, he decided to put it down as to something happened whilst he was in the bathroom and someone else had put Kevin in a bad mood. That at least calmed him down a little bit. 

He had excused himself to their shared bathroom as soon as they got back, ignoring Kevin's protests of how he had gone to the restaurant's bathroom before they left. Archie was feeling down and the only way he knew he could pick himself up definitely was to look at how bloated he still was and try and evoke some pride; he had allowed himself to be mesmerised at how the seat belt in Kevin's car seemed to cut just below his stomach a little bit and he could feel how tight his shirt was. Those two things in themselves had lifted his mood back up. For Archie, if he could still feel just a little bit more proud of the damage he had done, then it'd be enough to not mull over Kevin's change in mood. As soon as he got into the bathroom and had locked the door behind him, Archie's eyes were immediately transfixed on his reflection in the mirror; much like it had been at the restaurant, his stomach was pining for release from the shirt that was  _just_ tight enough for it to be noticeable that he didn't really fit. Archie felt himself get giddy and excited again as he remembered some of the looks he had gotten as the two left the  restaurant and, after getting reacquainted with his reflection, he could see why. He wasn't massive by any means of the imagination, but he was bloated and stuffed enough in a small enough shirt where it left nothing to the imagination on how bulging his stomach was. For the giggles of it all, he buttoned up his shirt only with the buttons that would be across his midsection and if Archie's crotch area wasn't feeling a little tighter before, it definitely was now. Much like the shirt in general, for some it wasn't as impressive as Archie was making it out to be in his head but  _he_ was impressed and stuck staring at his growth. The shirt, oversized on purpose as to be a little baggier on him. was pressed up against his belly enough for there to be the indications that he had overindulged and just the sight alone - one he was sure he wouldn't reach for some time, if he was serious about gaining - had made Archie forget about Kevin's sour mood. Undoing the buttons to the shirt, Archie chose to sit on the toilet for a bit, not particularly wanting to face Kevin just yet but also wanting the privacy to check what people had been saying about his new picture on Grommr.

In terms of gaining weight, no matter how much he was getting excited over how stuffed he was that night, Archie was apprehensive to commit. There was a growing desire there to grow, definitely, but Archie also enjoyed being muscular too. He knew he could marry the two together and be a muscle chub but he didn't want to scare Kevin off. Now, Archie wasn't one to sacrifice his own happiness for his partner - Veronica had made him promise her that when they 'broke up' - but, like many, he knew he'd want to feel desired by whoever his boyfriend would be and he was conscious of that. Validation from the bigger guys on Grommr or the looks and stares he got only served to quell his fears for short bursts at a time. He knew he was at a crossroads with the whole thing; either not give a fuck and just gain because  _he_ would want to or become a stuffer and bloater, eat copious amounts and then work extra hard at the gym to make sure no weight was put on. Of course, he could always use the excuse of bulking but whenever Archie had bulked in the past and had said he was bulking, everyone made comments and it seemed to not be worth it. In any case, validation allowed him to not think about that sort of thing and instead appreciate what he had as he was doing it - he could worry about it later then.

Archie had never really paid attention to those who were nearby to him, typically sticking the profiles of the big names he had heard from other platforms like Tumblr and YouTube. They were the ones who he was mesmerised by and, partly, the thought of people being into the same thing nearby was still a bit unnerving for Archie. He was growing to be less ashamed of his interest in bigger guys but, still, it wasn't something he wasn't going to go around shouting about. Nevertheless, as he opened up the app on his phone, a part of him wanted to study the profiles nearby. Whether it was a bubbling curiosity that had finally got the better of the nerves or the need to see if anyone around him, now that his profile picture was of his swollen stomach from that night, had paid attention to him, Archie found himself studying the varying images of grey silhouettes of faceless profiles or those with belly pics as their avatars. Tapping on the profile closest to him - someone simply called 'HelpingHand' - Archie went about examining the profile. From the distance, 0.0km, he determined that it had to be somebody in the building. Part of him felt like shying away, closing the app and denying that someone was so close but, on the other hand, part him felt as if he should put on a show - stuff himself a bit more often and wear his tighter clothes. From the profile of 'HelpingHand,' Archie learnt very little about the man. He knew they were the same age and that the man, whilst toned, was on the beefier side of things and that he was attending the same college. A bit of Archie had hoped there was something more to give away the identity of the user,  _specifically_ in the direction of making it be Kevin. That's what he had hoped at least to seemingly no avail.

It wasn't until Archie noticed that the user had a single picture uploaded did he tap on it to be greeted by the beefy physique the man had described neatly in his profile. Archie was only going to tap the like button and perhaps give the man a follow until he noticed that the bed in the background look eerily like Kevin's. Initially, he pinned it down to the person being in the same dormitories as them so, of course, they'd have the same bed but it wasn't until he saw Kevin's iconic mustard yellow sweater folded neatly on it that he became sure 'HelpingHand' was Kevin. Tapping back, he checked to see if the profile had ever visited him and, sure enough, they had visited his profile today. 

And that meant they had probably been drawn in by his picture. And  _that_ meant they were able to see what he was wearing and because it  _was_ Kevin who was 'HelpingHand,' that meant Kevin knew it was him.  _Great_.

Though the rational part of his mind was trying to tell Archie that it meant Kevin was into the kink to and, as the prospective boyfriend, that was just what he had wanted, the redhead spent more time trying not to completely freak out. It all made sense now; how Kevin would seemingly get lost whenever Archie overindulged, or the way he would blush slightly if Archie so much as jiggled the tiniest bit. His mind was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, enough for Archie to put his phone in his pocket and dab his face with some cold water. He assumed they were in a weird situation then; Kevin knew that Archie was into the same things as he was but didn't know that Archie knew he was too, whilst Archie knew that Kevin knew. It was just complicated enough for Archie's head to hurt a little as a finger moved in the air as he tried to connect the dots mentally.

"You okay Arch?" Kevin's voice accompanying a knock forced Archie out of his deep thought process, head snapping to face the door. 

"Uh yeah, I'm fine!" Archie called back, furiously turning the faucet off and drying his face off. In a matter of seconds he was at the door and opening it, exposing Kevin's concerned face that seemed to soften upon seeing that, yes, Archie was alright. "I got distracted on my phone."

That seemed to do the trick; Kevin's face became devoid of any worry, instead an easy smile taking it's place. It seemed that he had gotten over whatever had put him in an off mood earlier, if the way he dragged Archie back into the main space by his hand was any indication. "Another buzzfeed article?"

Archie was appreciative to see how normal Kevin was making the situation,  _despite_ him knowing he knew. "Not quite," He said with the shake of his head, wet tips of hair sticking to his forehead as he did so, "Something on social media shocked me, that's all."

Kevin's lips pursed as if he were to investigate further but he didn't, more than likely assuming it was some football gossip like most of Archie's gossip seemed to be. Kevin was always down for some gossip, but struggles between straight men was his least favourite kind. It wasn't anything person, as Kevin said,  _I just don't see why guys go crazy over some girl, it's like they regress back into apes_ which, as much as he loved his guys, Archie would always have to agree. It wasn't particularly easy to act as if he didn't know what he assumed was something big enough for Kevin to hide from him - and the likewise reversed, obviously - but Archie liked to think he was doing a good job.

"The food's got me beat," Archie announced, yawning as he moved to flop on his bed, feeling the weight of his overindulgence pushing him into the bed, "Gonna go to sleep if that's alright?"

At this point, Kevin had returned to the fashion magazine he was more than likely reading as Archie was in the bathroom and thus the only response he gave was a nod and the wave of a hand. Content, with the next day being a Saturday, Archie allowed himself to drift off whilst making a mental note to either investigate further about 'HelpingHand,' ask Kevin directly or at least solidify the brunette as his boyfriend - either would make Archie feel as if he had experienced a productive day. 

* * *

As per the duo's Saturday morning ritual, one they had adopted during the worst of their initial homesickness, Archie and Kevin found themselves in the diner on campus having breakfast. It wasn't lie the quality they were used to but, in a pinch, it reminded them enough of Riverdale to calm any rising desires to throw in the towel and go back home. Plus, it was nice o force yourself out of the house on a weekend - at least that's what Kevin always seemed to said. Archie, at first, had been resistant to it, citing that he 'needed his beauty sleep' that seemed to be exclusive to the weekends but he eventually came around to the idea after discovering how  _good_ the pancakes were. That was the only redeeming quality about the diner's breakfast. That and their oreo milkshakes - sweet but just sweet enough where you could have two one after the other and not feel too sick, as Archie had discovered. 

Usually, Archie would be a bit reckless with his order, ordering whatever he was in the mood for which, more often than not, resulted in him having a sizeable breakfast that kept him full for the majority of the day. They had been other obvious instances of Kevin's interest towards a growing guy; if the way he would gawk at Archie was any indication as they ate breakfast. On this particular morning, however, Archie was at a crossroads. Much like he had been when he first discovered that someone in the dorms had been on Grommr, half of him wanted to put on a small show for Kevin to see him squirm a little but, perhaps the more dominant half, felt a little self-conscious about it. Maybe it was the fact that the fantasy of growing on the app, parading himself to guys all over the world, had shattered a bit when someone close - his  _roommate_ and long time friend of all people - was also on the very same app and saw the parades he put on. In any case, he ordered a more modest -  _normal_ , by most standards - amount of food and ate it pretty quietly. 

He wondered if Kevin knew he knew because, usually, whenever he was quiet Kevin would bombard him with a flurry of questions but today they ate in an uncomfortable silence. Both stole glances of one another, an unspoken agreement of look but don't speak settling between the two. It wasn't until they were halfway done with their food that Kevin cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Think we'll have another date?" He asked, eyes glancing up at Archie.

A wave of relief flushed over him; Kevin must not expect a thing, or else he would've had to have referenced it, right? 

"I'd like another one," Archie said with a smile, "Though we live together, do we  _need_ another one? I know a ton about you as is."

"That's true," Kevin mused, a finger pressed against his lips before shrugging, "So... that's it? We're a thing?"

Archie knew the whole lack of romance was probably killing Kevin - if what Betty had told him about the brunette's many ways of proposing going steady with someone was any indication to go off of. Though, the small smile on Kevin's face that grew at the prospect of him saying yes seemed to tell Archie otherwise.

"If you want me," The response came in between mouthfuls of hash browns, Archie suppressing a burp and going a little red in the face in embarrassment, "Maybe not after I burp in your face?"

That widened the smile on Kevin's face and a laugh came from the other, settling Archie immediately. Even though Kevin had seemed to have gotten over his mood after the date the night before, Archie couldn't help but still feel a tenseness in the air. To him, he took it that Kevin knew he was on the same app as him but was unsure on whether or not to approach him about it. The laugh and smiles had been the first indication of normality between them and Archie couldn't be happier. It felt like he had the Kevin he was used to again.  _His_ Kevin.

"Veronica was right, you  _are_ a dork."

As if they both got the gist of what Kevin had said, the two shared a smile. Archie found himself to be a bit giddy with it all. Not only had he never had a boyfriend before but he seemed to have scored a good one. Just as friends, Kevin was entirely loyal so Archie knew he had no issues there and they shared the same infatuation with bigger guys. He knew from the profile of 'HelpingHand' that Kevin wasn't looking to gain himself and instead support and Archie was, if anything, the opposite. It seemed perfect.

That was why, with impulse, Archie's smile softened a little as he lent in.

"Care to give me a, uh,  _Helping Hand_?"

His words were purposeful, enough that if it was Kevin there'd be no way the brunette could deny it was him.

And, judging from the way Kevin's smile faltered and a red blush crept across his face, Archie had hit the nail on the head. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love a cliffhanger!
> 
> Much like how Kevin's thought process towards the date had been looked into at the beginning, I wanted to explore some more insight into how Archie's feeling about the whole thing. When I first had the idea for this, I originally pencilled in Archie being a raging gainer but I imagine he likes his muscular body now and that's how the apprehension comes in. Be prepared for some soft Kevarchie moments in the future!!
> 
> Also, if you haven't, check out my new fic - The Battle of Giants! It's another Kevin/Archie gainer fic (am I going to become an account just for them? I hope so!) but in this one they're both mutual gainers who have little care towards their bodies... so the opposite of this one. It'd mean a lot if you all took a look!
> 
> As always, comments, bookmarks, kudos and all of that mean a lot! :D


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